Means for guiding threads from cops, spools, or the like



SePt- 5, 1944. l.. M. BALLA-MY ET AL 2,357,716

MEANS FOR 'GUIDING THREADS FROM KOPS, SPOOLS OR THE LIKE Filed May l1,1942 Patented Sept. 5, 1.944

MEANS FOR GUIDING THREADS FROM COPS, SPOOLS, OR THE LIKE Leslie MarkBallamy, Caterham-on-Hill. and

Richard Hasell Sheepshanks, Woodbridge, England Application May 11,1942, Serial No. 442,577

In Great Britain July 11, 1941 2 Claims.

This invention relates to means for guiding threads from cops, spoolsand the like, and it has for its primary object to provide an improvedconstruction of such means which has been developed with a view toavoiding chai-lng of the thread. The invention is of particular utilityin conjunction with multi-needle sewing machines, such, for example, asthose which are adapted to produce simultaneously many mutually parallelrows of stitching. In such machines the needles have hitherto been fedwith individual threads from a corresponding number of cops or the like,said threads being caused to travel each through an individual rigidmetal tube.

According to the present invention means for conducting a thread from astationary cop, spool or like supply comprises a flexible tube adaptedto move freely from side to side as the direction of the pull of thethread changes'.`

Further there is provided according to the invention means forconducting a thread from a cop, spool or like supply to a sewingmachine, said means comprising a flexible tube, the end portion of whichfreely aligns itself substantially to the direction of the pull of thethread, and so reduces the danger of chafng said thread.

If desired the flexible tube may comprise a closely wound helix of wire,said tube, at a position spaced from its end, conveniently being heldcoaxial with the cop, spool or the like so that the end of said tube isfree to trace out a circular path in sympathy with the unwinding of thethread from said kop, spool or the like.

The invention is illustrated by Way of example in the accompanyingdiagrammatic drawing, in which the needle-bar of a sewing machine isindicated at IIl and is arranged for reciprocation in a guide member II. thread I3 from a stationary cop I4 located upon a vertical pin I5withinl a case I6 in the usual manner. The thread is drawn upwardly fromthe cop I4, as indicated at I3a, and it is arranged to pass through asmall diameter tube I'I, which is fastened in the top of the case I6 atI8 and which has its opposite end I9 conveniently disposed in thelocality of the needlebar I0.

The tube I'l consists of a closely Wound Wire helix, and as a result itis relatively ilexible without detracting in any Way from the protectionthat it affords to the thread I3. Thus it will be The needle I2 is fedwith seen that as the thread leaves the cop I4 at I3@` it naturallytends to trace out the curved surface of a cone as each turn unwinds. Ifthe tube Il were rigid this would cause the thread to drag against themouth of the tube, but the fact that the tube I 'I is flexible enablesit to move bodily in sympathy with the thread, so that said thread atall times passes straight into the mouth of the tube, so avoiding anychangaction. In order to reduce as much as possible the angle throughwhich the tube Il must flex during the unwinding of a cop, the part I8of the tube which is secured in the top of the case I6 is preferablyarranged to be coaxial with the pin I5 upon which the cop I4 is mounted.

It will be understood that the arrangement which has been described isgiven merely as an example and that the details of construction may bemodied to suit requirements. Thus, for instance, in some cases only thatend of the tube nearest to the cop, spool or the like may be exible, sayas far as the part I8 shown in the drawing, the remainder being of arelatively rigid nature. Further various other forms of flexible tubemay be used, the material constituting the internal Wall of said tubepreferably being of a hard nature, so as to avoid friction between saidwall and the thread as far as possible.

What we claim is:

l. A means for conducting a thread from a freely-rotatable cop to thereciprocating needle of a sewing machine, comprising a flexible threadreceiving element, means for fixing the element against movement at apoint above and in spaced axial alignment with the cop, the elementbelow its fixed point being free to follow the thread in its deliveryfrom the cop, means for fixing the element at a point adjacent theneedle, the end of the element between the needle and adjacent ixingmeans being free to follow and guide the thread in-needle movement.

2. A construction as dened in claim 1, wherein the flexible elementbetween the respective fixing means is rigid against casual displacementWhile capable of manual distortion throughout such length for changingdirection and path of the thread.

LESLIE MARK BALLAMY. RICHARD HASELL SHEEPSHANKS.

